Vending machine



June 7 1927.

J. E. OLVIS VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

INVENTOR. hmrs f. 0015 BY M 2 Filed Sent. 9, 1925 June 7 1927. r w 1,631,541

J. E. OLVIS VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept: 9, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS. Y

Jul

the line 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Patented June 7, 1927.

JAMES E. OLVIS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed September 9, 1925. Serial No. 55,328.

This invention relates to u merchandise vending machine. wherein one of a variety ot articles may be selected and delivered by operation of a check or coin controlled mechanism. The present invention appertains to a rcvoluble stock container having a number of compartments which may be selectively registered with a delivery mechanism which mechanism is actuable by a check controlled device.

The objects of this invention are first, to provide a vending machine wherein the articles of a particular kind are stacked in a column and the column supported upon a stationary bed. the delivering device ren'ioving an article one at a time from the bottom but not supporting the stack; second, to provide compartment aligning means operable by thecoin controlled mechanism; and third; to provide a mechanism ot the character described having a register for the number oil? articles delivered.

These objects together with other objects reletii ii simplicity, compactness of structure, c: ..e of manipulation, economy, durabili v and positiveness of structure and operation are obtained .iy means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

his. '1 is a vertical section through a CO111- plcte nmchine; Fig. 2 is a section as seen on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the lower portion of the Inachine as seen looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4; is a section show ing a fragment of the machine as seen on i the line 4- .l of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view partly in section seen on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1 showing a detail ot the reg1s tering mechanism; Fig. 6 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale showing the tie livering mechanism; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. (5 showing the parts in another position and more of the structure in section; Fig. 8 is a section as seen on the line 8-8 oi Fig. '7; Fig. 9 is a section as seen on and Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view showing a fragment oi the delivering mechanism as seen on the line 10-10 of Fig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A indicates the base of the machine serving as :1 till and housing a delivery mechanism'li. Rotatably mounted upon the base is the stock container C. The stock container, as shown herein, is divided into twelve peripheral compartments and in the present instance, these compartn'ients are similar. Each compart ment is formed by side walls 1]., a rear wall formed by a portion of an inner cylinder 12, and a removableouter wall 13. The outer wall is preferably formed of a long glass panel which may he slipped into grooves lat'rom the top. This panel may disclose the articles in the compartment, and also maydisplay matter marked thereon indicating the character of the merchandise. The compartment is covered by a lid which may be of the slip-on type. The floor of the container comprises a. plate 16 having slots 17 of less width than the compartment so that the stack of articles may rest on the floor spanning the slot. The container is To tatably mounted upon a shaft 18 supported upon a suitable pillar l9 upstanding from the base. there being bearings 90 mounted on the shaft and secured to the cylindrical wall 12 01 the stock container. The base A. is provided with a cylindrical wall 21 which overlaps the lower end oi" the container wall, as best shown in Fig. 1. At each compartment and at the floor level thereof is an opening 22 in the wall for the removal of the articles being vended. There is a delivery chute 23 secured to the wall 22 l r receiving the articles ejected. An opening 24 for the passage of articles from the compartment to the chute is provided in a wall 22.

The delivery device is fixedly secured in the base and at the cnute. It is mounted upon a plate or wide bar 25 which is secured to the base. Bar 25 is formed with a return or coin rejector opening 26, and forwardly thereof it till opening 27. Nlounted upon the bar a housing split to form two sections which may be secured to each other. These sections are indicated by 28 and 28. Slots or grooves are cut in the side of the housing for slidably receiving a pull bar indicated by 29. Bar 29 is formed on the under side with a recess and secured to the outer wall of the recess is a tension spring 30. The other end of this spring is secured to the bar 25. The spring tends to retract the bar and hold it against an abutment 31 fixed to the bar 25. Formed in the bar 25 and opening to the upper side thereof is a coin pocket 32. The bottom of the pocket has a coin discharge opening at the forward end as indicated by 33 to permit the passage of a coin therethrough. Sizing pins 34: are

mounted on the side walls of the pocket adjacent the rear end. They are spaced apart a distance such that they will not permit a coin of the proper size to be moved between the pins, snugly engaging such a coin. They are also spaced above the bottom wall of the pocket so that a coin thinner than the normal thickness desired, will permit the coin to he slipped thereunder. Pivotally mounted in the housing so as to swing on a hori zontal axis is a tongue 35. This tongue is disposed normally in a vertical plane and just at the opening in the lower wall of the pocket as best shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The lower end of the tongue just clears the bottom wall. of the pocket. the tongue and secured thereto is an arm 36 to which is secured a tension spring 37. The tension spring is secured at its other end to the housing. The tongue abuts the edge of a coin chute 38. A coin transmission chute 39 connects with the chute 38 and opens to the outside of the base adjacent the article delivery chute 23. This chute is so arranged that when a coin is dropped therein, the latter will roll to the chute 33 and slide therefrom in flat position into the pocket 32. The bar extends through the base at a position beneath the delivery chute 23 and is provided with a finger hole 40 so that it may be grasped conveniently and pulled outwardly. Assume that a coin has been dropped in the chute 39, it will roll therealong to the chute 2S and be delivered in a flat position into the pocket The opening to the coin chute 39 may be so arranged that an oversize coin cannot be dropped therein. Assume that the coin is of the correctsize. It will then lie fiat in the pocket and cannot be moved out of the rear end thereof as the posts 3% hug the coin closely and hold it in position. Upon pulling the bar 25 forwardly. the coin will push the tongue 35 aside and be moved outwardly with the bar. The resistance of the tongue 35 to being moved is such that, if the coin is undersize, it will push the coin along the bottom of the pocket as the pull bar is moved outwardly, ejecting the coin at the rear of the pocket and dropping it upon the wall of chute l1, which allows the coin to slide in an upright position into a return chute 42. The return chute permits the coin to roll forwardly through an opening into the receptacle -13, thereby returning the coin to the operator.

Slidably mounted in the housing above the pull bar 25 is an operating bar ll. T he rear of bar 44 has depending therefrom a post 45 disposed in pocket 32, and is arranged so that it just clears the bottom wall of the pocket. However, if there is a coin lodged in the pocket, it will engage the post and slide the operating bar forwardly as the pull bar is moved forwardly. Pivotally se Upstanding from cured to the forward end of bar 44 is a link 43, the upper end of which is secured to an e ector plunger later described. Mounted in the housing at the forward end is a counter 47 of a well known type having an operating arm 4L8. Secured to the operating arm is a rod 49 which passes through a bracket 50 mounted on operating bar 44. A compression spring 51 is disposed between the bracket and a head on the rod 49, thereby tending to held the rod in retracted position. The counter is of the well known type in which the arm 48 tends to maintain itself in forward position. The construction such that on each complete movement of bar 44 the counter will be actuated to register the movement. Mounted in a way in the upper part of the housing is an ejector plunger 52. The plunger is slotted at the rear end and has the linl; 46 pivotally se cured thereto. Pivotally secured to the outer end of the plunger is a finger53 having a leaf spring 54 on the under side tending to raise the finger. The plunger and finger a re of such width that they may slide into the slots 17 in the floor of the container. In Figures 6 and 7 an article is shown resting on the floor of the container over a slot 17. If the ejector is moved outwardly, the finger will engage and slide the latter from below the stack through openings 22 and 52st into the delivery chute 23. Assuming that there is a coin of the proper size in pocket 32 of the pull bar and the latter is pulled outwardlyfthe coin will ride be neath the tongue 35 pushing the latter aside and will engage post Q5. The post is then caused to move with the pull bar and will move the operating bar 4A: outwardly. This causes link 46 to be pulled outwardlv and pulls the plunger in the same direction. Finger 53 engages the lowermost article in the registering stack and ejects it into the delivery chute. Spring 30 causes the pull bar to be returned upon release of the latter by the operator, moving operating bar l l to its retracted position and moving the plunger 52 to its retracted position. Upon the return of the ejector plunger, linger 53 is moved downwardly sliding beneath the stack. There is no weight of articles upon the ejector bar except the slight friction of the finger 53 against the bottom thereof. Y Vhen the coin in pocket 32 engages the tongue 35, the latter being restrained against movement by abutting the side of chute 38 will cause the coin to be pushed into the opening 33 and to be dropped into the till in the base of the machine. The coin oper ating device is then ready to receive another coin. Referring tiart-icularly to Figs. 'r' and 10 a detentis shown for holding the ejector in its retracted position. This de tent comprises a leaf spring 55 secured to the housing and pressing against a ball 56 iiru disposed in an opening in the housing. The ball arranged to rest in a recess in the ejector. This holds the plunger in retracted position.

in order that the stock container may be iiiroperly registered so that the ejector will ride into the slot 17 without striking the sides thereof, I have provided a mechanical registering device o ierated by the deliver ing mechanism. Pivotally mounted in the housing is a lever 56. The lever has at one end thereof a roller 57" arranged to ride upon the top of pull her The upper surface of the bar 25 has a depression 58 at the outer end, so that when the pull bar is in retracted position, roller 57 is in the depression. Upon pulling the bar outwardly, roller 57 rides out of the depression and rocks the lever 56. Lever 56 is connect-- ed to a linger 59 pivotally mounted in the housing; so that upon rocking .lever 56, finget 59 will be rocked, an upward movement of roller 57 causing an outward movement oi the upper end of finger 59. lvlounted on the housing and in a bracket is a sleeve 60. The sleeve has a washer 61 thereon engaged by a compression spring 62 which is mounted between the washer and bracket. The sleeve engaged by the end of finger 59 and the spring 62 tends to maintain the sleeve in retracted position. Slidably mounted within the sleeve is a stem 63 hav ing a Wedge (id as a head. A buii'er spring 5 is mounted between the sleeve and head and tends to permit a yielding rearward movement of the head with respect to the sleeve. Mounted upon the floor of the stock container are rollers 66. These rollers are spaced so that the wedge G l may enter there between for a limited distance. There are two rollers one on each side of a co1npartment The construction is such that when the head 64; is forced into the stall formed een the rollers so as to engage the ad t rollers, the stock container will be ma erred in a position with the corresponding slot 17 in alignment or registras tion with the ejector plunger.

' l n operatingthe device, the purchaser i'ttil'ls' the stock container so that the compartment containing articles which he desir "i to purchase is in line with the opening so. He then inserts his coin in the coin re ceiving slot and pulls the bar 25 outwardly. in F 6 a coin is shown in position so as to cause the operating bar 44 to be moved. It will be noted that the pull bar moves torwardly a limited distance before the coin engages the post 45. Upon the initial outward movement of the bar 25. the lever 56 is rocked, causing the wedge head to be pushed outwardly between the rollers and tinally locking the compartment in registration with the ejector plunger. Thereafter, the plunger enters the slot in the compartment and pushes the article into the delivery chute. Upon the pull bar returning, lever 56 drops by its weight and the head is re? tracted so as to clear the roller 66 permitting the stool: container to be revolved. I: have provided an additional meansior centering the compartment. Mounted on the under side of the compartment tloor is an annular rail (3'? having indentations, one tor each compartment and upstanding from the plate :5 is a bracket 68. Pivotally .n'iounted in the bracket is an arm (39 lltlVll'lfZf a roller 70 at the end, thereot. The roller Tt) is ar ranged to rest in the indentations. the spring 71 tending to hold the arm 65 so that the roller will rest in the bottom of an indentation. This will tend to cause the stock container to stop at a position such that the roller in the lower part of the indentation and a slot 17 is in registration with the ejector plunger.

il hut I claim is:

1. in a device of the class described, the combination of a base having a delivery passageway tor articles to be vended, a stock container rotatably mounted on said base and having; a plurality of compartments adapted to have the articles stacked thereiin said compartments being peripherally arranged in said coi'itainen each of said comiiartments having a delivery outlet in the outer wall at the bottom thereof so that the container may be turned to register a selected outlet with said passageway, alignmeiiit means for [in-ally lockinga selected outlet in registration with said passageway, and operating means in said base for ejecting articles from a selected com nirtment into said passageway, said alignment and operating means being manually operable by a. single movement.

2. In a vending machine the combination of a base having a delivery passageway for articles to be vendech a stock container rotatably mounted on said base havinga plurality 0t compartments adapted to have the articles stacked therein, said compartments being peripherally arranged in said container each of said (.OHJPflIlLIIltEIliZS having a delivery outlet in the outer wall at the bottom so that the container may be turned to register a selected outlet with said passageway, an ejector mounted in said base comprising a plunger radially projectable into the bottom of a con'ipartment so to eject an article from the bottom of a stack into said passageway. a pull bar for actuating said plunger having an initial independent movement with respect to said plunger and a final alignment means for locking in registration said outlet and said passageway connected to said pull bar so as to be operated by the initial movement thereof.

3. In a vending machine, the combination of a base having a delivery passage way for articles to be vended, a stock container rotatably mounted on said base and having a plurality oi compartments adapted to have the articles stacked therein, said compartments being peripherally arranged in said container, each ot aid compartments having a delivery outlet in the outer wall at the bottom thereot so that the container may be turned to register a selected outlet with said passageway, an ejector mounted into said base comprising a plunger radially projectable into the bottom of a compartment so as to eject an article "from the bottom of a stack into said passageway, a pull bar for actuating said plunger having an initial independent movement with respect to said plunger, peripherally spaced stalls on the bottom of said container, a radially projectable head for entrance into a stall so as to finally align the selected outlet and passage way, and means connecting said pull bar to said head so that the latter is operated by initial movement of said pull bar.

a. In a vending machine, the combination of a base having a delivery passageway for articles to be vended, a stock container rotatably mounted on said base and having a plurality of compartments adapted to have the articles stacked therein, said compartment being peripherally arranged in said container, each of said com, artments having a delivery outlet in the outer wall so that the container may be turned to register a selected outlet with said passageway, an ejector mounted in said base comprising a plunger radially projectable into the bottom of a compartment so as to eject an article from the bottom of a stack into said passageway, a pull bar for actuating said structure having an initial independent movement with respect to said plunger, stalls on the bottom of said container, a radially projectable head for entrance into a stall so as to finally align the selected outlet and passageway, said pull bar having a stepped upper surface, a lever arranged so that one end rides on said surface, the step being so disposed that the lever riding thereon will be rocked on moving over said step and said step being disposed to rock said lever upon initial movement, said lever and head being connected so that the latter is actuated by initial. movement of said pull bar.

5. In a vending machine, the combination of a base having a delivery passageway for articles to be veuded, a container rotatably mounted on said base having a floor, said container being divided into a plurality of peripherally arranged compartments adapted to support stacks of articles resting upon the floor, each of said compartments having a delivery outlet in the inner wall at the bottom so that the container may be turned to regi ter a selected outlet with said passageway, said floor having radially eXtending slots, one in each compartment and dis poi; d. below the articles stacked therein, an ejector in said base comprising a radially projectable plunger adapted to be moved into one of said slots, the end of said plunger b arranged to engage an article on its outwarc stroke so as to eject said article from the bottom of its stack through its outlet into said passageway and'to slide beneath said stack on its return stroke.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of September, 1925,

JAMES E. OLVIS, 

